Clinical investigation of the efficacy of a commercial mouthrinse containing 0.05% cetylpyridinium chloride in reducing dental plaque.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this independent, double-blind, seven-day clinical study was to assess the efficacy of a commercially available mouthrinse containing 0.05% CPC for controlling dental plaque relative to that of a control mouthrinse without 0.05% CPC. METHODS: Adult male and female subjects from the San Juan, Puerto Rico area reported to the clinical facility, having refrained from any oral hygiene procedures for 12 hours, and from eating, drinking, and smoking for four hours, for an assessment of the oral soft and hard tissues and a baseline dental plaque evaluation. Qualifying subjects were randomly assigned into one of the two treatment groups, and were provided with their assigned mouthrinse, an adult soft-bristled toothbrush, and a commercially available fluoride toothpaste for home use. Over the seven-day period of home use, during which there were no restrictions regarding diet or smoking habits, subjects were instructed to brush their teeth for one minute twice daily (morning and evening) with the toothbrush and toothpaste supplied, to rinse their mouths with water after brushing, and then to rinse with 15 ml of their assigned mouthrinse for one minute before expectorating. The use of other oral hygiene products or procedures, such as floss or interdental stimulators, was not permitted during the study. After seven days of product use, subjects returned to the clinical facility having followed the same restrictions with respect to oral hygiene procedures, eating, and drinking as prior to the baseline examination, and the oral soft and hard tissue assessments and dental plaque evaluations were repeated. Comparisons between treatment groups with respect to baseline-adjusted Plaque Index scores at the seven-day examination were performed using Analyses of Covariance, p < or = 0.05. RESULTS: Forty-eight subjects complied with the protocol and completed the study. Results demonstrated that, after seven days of product use and 12 hours after rinsing, both the CPC mouthrinse group and the control mouthrinse group exhibited statistically significant reductions in whole-mouth Plaque Index scores (25.3% and 6.6%, respectively), in Plaque Index scores measured at interproximal sites (51.3% and 32.9%, respectively), and in Plaque Severity Index scores (43.5% and 25.4%, respectively). Relative to the control mouthrinse, the 0.05% CPC mouthrinse group exhibited statistically significant greater reductions in whole-mouth plaque scores (15.9%), in Plaque Index scores measured at interproximal sites (23%), and in Plaque Severity Index scores (17%). As the measurements were made 12 hours after final product use, the results also demonstrate that the CPC mouthrinse provides 12-hour protection against plaque accumulation in individuals with existing plaque. CONCLUSION: The overall results of this double-blind clinical study support the conclusion that after seven days of product use, a mouthrinse containing 0.05% CPC provides significantly greater efficacy for reducing dental plaque 12 hours after use, than does a control mouthrinse without 0.05% CPC.

Evaluating the effectiveness of modeling principles for data models.

We evaluated the effectiveness of modeling principles intended to harmonize the information representation between terminology-ontology models and information models. Our study utilized dental clinical statements and sample dental record questions. We asked experts to define the equivalency (mapping) of these elements and measured their agreement. We modified the data elements and asked the experts to conduct subsequent mappings. We measured the agreement and compared the levels of agreement before and after changes, expecting that agreement would increase. The level of agreement (Kappa) before modeling was 0.3 to 0.4 and after was 0.5 (p<0.05). The difference was small but statistically significant. Our results suggest that the modeling principles improve information representation since agreement increased.

Tooth-whitening efficacy of custom tray-delivered 9% hydrogen peroxide and 20% carbamide peroxide during daytime use: a 14-day clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this 14-day parallel, double blind clinical trial was to evaluate the tooth whitening efficacy of a 9% hydrogen peroxide gel (Colgate Visible White) relative to a 20% carbamide peroxide gel (Opalescence) positive control. METHODS: Forty-six consenting adults were randomly assigned to use one of the two products. All participants had 6 unrestored maxillary anterior teeth averaging a shade ranking score of 9 (A3) in the Vitapan Classical Shade Guide scale of 1 through 16 (lightest to darkest). Tooth whitening consisted of at-home 30-minute daily self-applications of the assigned product after brushing with a non-bleaching dentifrice. One of two calibrated examiners performed the baseline, 5-day, 7-day, and 14-day tooth shade evaluations for a given participant, utilizing the same Vita guide under unmodified color-corrected lighting conditions. Thirty-seven participants made all visits. Bleaching efficacy was measured with respect to mean shift (reduction from baseline) in rank scores of the maxillary anterior teeth, in which baseline rank scores functioned as covariables. RESULTS: Both treatment groups exhibited statistically significant mean shade rank score improvements from baseline after 5, 7, and 14 days at 3.14, 3.70 and 4.68 for Colgate Visible White and 1.60, 2.52 and 3.85 for Opalescence. CONCLUSIONS: Between-group comparison shows that while Colgate Visible White (9% hydrogen peroxide) provides a statistically significant tooth whitening improvement over Opalescence (20% carbamide peroxide) after 5 days of self-application, both products have a similar whitening effect after 7 and 14 days.